Jesus Christ: Our Only Hope

Introduction:

Kids ask impossible questions. (Eg, what if Eve sinned but Adam hadn’t? What if Adam ate from the Tree of Life after sinning?

What question does this sermon answer?

Q: Could anyone else have served as the Savior?

A: Jesus alone is qualified to be our Redeemer.

Letter from Jehovah’s Witness

From jw.org: “Jesus’ early followers did not view him as being equal to Almighty God.”

Seven Reasons Jesus alone is qualified to be our Redeemer.

Sin is an offense against our infinite Creator. Thus it is an infinite offense.

“The wages of sin is death.” Sacrifice, i.e. our death, is required.

An infinite offense requires an infinite sacrifice.

However, a human offense (Adam’s, ours) requires a human sacrifice. Humans are not infinite; they (we) are finite.

The sacrifice must be human but also infinite.

Therefore, the sacrifice for sin must be a God-Man.

As the only God-Man, Jesus alone is qualified to be the sacrifice for sin and redeem mankind from sin.

***This argument hinges on a crucial idea: Jesus Christ was fully God and fully man.***

“Had Jesus not been truly and fully man, then He could not have been a true substitute for humanity; had He not been truly and fully God, then His death could not have atoned for our sins.”

Reasons: Jesus alone is qualified to be our Redeemer because of His eternal deity and true humanity.

Jesus Christ is Man.

He was born as a man.

Titled the Son of Man (Mt 12:8).

He prayed to the Father (John 17).

He was tempted (Matthew 4)

He grew in wisdom (Lk 2:52).

He experienced the frailties of humanity.

He died.

Jesus Christ is God. He is of one substance with the Father and the Holy Spirit. Infinite, Eternal, Unchangeable...all of the incommunicable attributes of God Jesus does possess.

He is called God (Isa 9:6; John 20:28; Heb 1:8).

He is called the Son of God, making him equal with God (Mark 1:1; John 5:18).

He is prayed to (Acts 7:59).

He is without sin (1 Pe 2:22; Heb 4:15).

He has the attributes of God (John 1:1; 2:24-25). Eg, he knew all things (John 21:17).

He gives eternal life (John 10:28).

He is able to do the mighty works of God (John 5:25; Col 1:16).

He is given the worship that belongs properly to God alone (Matthew 2:2; John 20:28; Rev 5:12-14).

He rose from the dead.

Result of Jesus’ Dual Nature

God the Son became man without ceasing to be God. Ie, “the divine nature was united to the human nature without ‘conversion, composition, or confusion.’

False ideas

Eutyches: Jesus’ divinity swallowed up his humanity, it being “dissolved like a drop of honey in the sea.”

Divine nature reduced by this miracle so that Jesus is less than the Father/Spirit.

Human nature elevated by this miracle so that Jesus is not truly human.

Two natures were mixed, so that He has a new nature.

The incarnation required Jesus be composed of two different persons or personalities. The divine Christ + the human Jesus.

Two Natures, One Person

“The Word became flesh” (John 1:14).

Seen in the Name “Lord Jesus Christ.”

“The word ‘Lord’ is really the same as Jehovah...The word ‘Jesus’ is the same as the biblical name Joshua...The word ‘Christ’ means ‘the anointed one.’ It indicates the fact that He is the Messiah.”

The only Redeemer...being the eternal Son of God (Lord), became man (Jesus), and so was, and continueth to be, God and man in two distinct natures (Lord and Jesus), and one person (Christ), for ever.

Response (Yours)

Believe in the God-Man. Don’t be duped.

Worship the God-Man

Trust in Him alone for the forgiveness of sins.